Outlet-box and wall-plate.



No. 847,718. PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907.

v Y. W. P. AMBOS.

" OUTLET BOX AND WALL PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5.1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT o FIon "WALTER P. AMBOS, or eLEVEItAND, OHIO.

OUTLET-Box AND WALL-PLATE.

To (LZZ whom itJn/uq concern:

Be it known that I; VVALTER l. AMBos, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of (Luyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful ,Improvements in Outlet-Boxes. and Vall- .Plates,.of which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert ains to make and uset-he same.

i The invention relates toimprovementslin outlet-boxes and Wall-plates for electric wiring and connecting iix'tures and the objects of the invention are to provide a wall plate or box to which the protruding ends of the flexible tubing which inclosesthe metallic circuitwiresfor. the electric current canf be readilysecured: j I T The invention'i's particularly applicable to situations where the wiring has been installed T so that-the lighting-fixturescanbe adapted to either electric or gaslight, and is designed I to overcome certain objectionable and dam mg drawings, and

, gerous features of construction in prior use of these devices. e

' lIeretofore wherr gas-fixtures have been employed in connection with protruding wires arranged for electric lighting the work- I me n have often pushed back the wires into theplaster and woodwork and carelessly wound'thein about the protruding nipple ol' the gas-pipe. Froiathis'hahit many fires have originated, the careless 1n anner i n which the protruding wires have. been arranged resultingfsometimes in short circuits and contact with metals, such astl'iepipes leading to ground.

jv jecting slotted collars forni guides for a seside elevationthereof.

ries of simultaneously-acting grips or clutch bars and showing link-and-lever mechanism therefor and an operating-screw. Fig. 2 is a Fig. .4 shows a box or plate provided with similar collars and an axially rotatable plate u-ovided' with cam edges operating in the same manner in slotsin the collars to engage and secure the flexible tubing. 'l 1g., 3 shows the clutch edges.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 5, 1906. Serial No. 304.165.

lfatented March 19, 1967;

mounted upon a single frame and havinga V (liainetrical movement adapted to make en gagelnent with all the flexible tubes simulta' neously. 'lhe .clutcli device in all the figures is adjusted by means of. a set-screw.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a perfect wall plate in which the flexible tubesiaie' shown projecting far enough beyond the platejjto prevent contact of the' wires'with the gas pipe.

It is readily understood froin thefigures that if the flexible tubingaincasing the vviresl projects beyond the 'endof the gas-pipe nip pic that there will be no temptation to wind;

the loose. ends about the iron pipe." To' im sure this protection,the plate 1 in the figures isprov ided with projecting. collars 2 which; are transverselyslotted at one side at 3 to permit the clutchingedges {1 toenter, so-that they can: pressjupon the flejxible tubing:

These edges are shown to be retained in and guided by these slots and to" be simultane ously adjustable, so that one movement will,

secure them all atonce; In Fig. 1 this ob-- ject is accomplished by forming these edges upon shortbars 5,- Which are pivoted at 6 at their outer' ends to the plate and are 0011- nected by n'uaians of links? into pairs. The v inner ends of two of these bars prOieCtat-S and overlap, and a set-screw 9, moving in a lug 10. upon the plate, serves to throw in' all 7 thebars and clutch edges into engagement with'the llexibletubing- 11 and revent the ends thereof from being accidenta lyorintentionally pushed back into the wall. In Fig;

5 the iron gas-pipe projects from the wall, and i the fixture is attached thereto by means of an insulating-tube 12, and the ends of the .95 the wall to a distance of not essthan the flexible ineasing-tube should rojectfrom outer end of the insulating-tube, which is formed usually of hard insulating composia thefiexible tubing issecured by meansof similar narrow clutching edges 4 upon a r0- tatable plate 8', movingabout a central collar 14.

screw 15, moving in alug 16 upon the plate and engaging w th an arm 17,.adjusts the,

clutchedges; In Fig. 3 the clutch edges are upon a series of rings 18, which enter the-slots" in the collars, and the rings are mounted upon 'tion,' such as micacomposition. In F1g.'4-

IOO

These edges are cam-shaped, so that; a slight revolution of the plate will bring all of them into engagement at. once. Aset;

a central connecting-ring 19, which receives- Y diametrical adjustment by means of a setto engage the flexible tubing.

screw. 20. In all of these devices the important features are found in the collars which receive the extremities of the flexible -1. The combination with a wall plate or' box having openings adapted to receive flexible tubes, of collars about said openings, said collars having transverse slots in'their walls, clutch members having edges adapted to enter said slots and engage said flexible tubing and adjustable mechanism, substantially as described, for simultaneously moving said clutch members in said slots to engage said flexible tubing.

2. The combination with a wallibox or plate having openings arranged to receive the 25 extremities of flexible tubes, of collars encircling said openings, said collars having transverse slots in their walls, clutch members having edges adapted to enter said slots and be guided thereby, and to engage said flexible tubing, a'device operatively connecting said clutch members, whereby their movements are simultaneous, and an adjustingscrew mounted in said plate and engaging said connecting device.

3. The combination with a wall-plate provided with openings for the insertion of insulating-tubes, of raised collars about said open ings, said c ollars having transverse slots, and means for securing said tubes simultaneously in said slots consisting of a rotatable disk upon said plate, and cam edges upon said disk, said cam edges being adapted to enter said slots and engage said tubes, and means for rotating said disk.

In testimonywhereof I hereunto set my a 5 hand this 20th day of February, 1906.

WALTER P. AMBOS. W'itnesses G. H. OLDs, WM. M. MONROE. 

